Philip Zimbardo: The psychology of time

譯者: katherine yu 審譯者: Zhu Jie

I want to share with you

我想和大家分享

some ideas about the secret power of time,

關於時光魅力的秘密,

in a very short time.

而我只有很短的時間.

Video: All right, start the clock please. 30 seconds studio.

視頻:準備好了,開始計時,三十秒倒計時.

Keep it quiet please. Settle down.

保持安靜.一切就緒.

It's about time. End sequence. Take one.

時間快到了.到了.再來一次.

15 seconds studio.

15秒到計時.

10, nine, eight, seven,

10,9,8,7,

six, five, four, three, two ...

6,5,4,3,2......

Philip Zimbardo: Let's tune into the conversation

菲利浦津巴多:現來看看這段對話

of the principals in Adam's temptation.

是"亞當的誘惑".

"Come on Adam, don't be so wishy-washy. Take a bite." "I did."

嘿,亞當,別磨蹭了. 咬一口吧.我可是咬過了.

"One bite, Adam. Don't abandon Eve."

就一口,亞當.不要忘了伊娃喔.

"I don't know, guys.

不行呀,夥計們.

I don't want to get in trouble."

我可不愿惹麻煩.

"Okay. One bite. What the hell?"

好吧,就一口.有什麼了不起呀!

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

Life is temptation. It's all about yielding, resisting,

生活中到處是誘惑.屈服,抵抗,

yes, no, now, later, impulsive, reflective,

是, 否,現在,以後,衝動,沉穩,

present focus and future focus.

關注現在和展望未來.

Promised virtues fall prey to the passions of the moment.

迅間的激情會打敗道德觀念.

Of teenage girls who pledged sexual abstinence and virginity until marriage --

那些曾宣誓要在婚前確保貞操的少女

thank you George Bush --

這一點要感謝小布施-

the majority, 60 percent, yielded to sexual temptations within one year.

大多數,約有60%,會在一年內違背自己的諾言.

And most of them did so without using birth control.

而他們中的大多數都沒有採取防範措施.

So much for promises.

多美好的承諾啊.

Now lets tempt four-year-olds, giving them a treat.

現在來試試四歲的小孩,給他們吃得好了.

They can have one marshmallow now. But if they wait

他們現在有一顆棉花糖.但是如果他們願意等

until the experimenter comes back, they can have two.

到試驗員回來再吃的話,他們會有兩顆.

Of course it pays, if you like marshmallows, to wait.

當然是要付出代價,你想要棉花糖的話,就得等.

What happens is two-thirds of the kids give in to temptation.

結果是2/3的孩子經不住誘惑.

They cannot wait. The others, of course, wait.

他們不能等.而另一些孩子,卻等到了.

They resist the temptation. They delay the now for later.

等的孩子抵住了誘惑.明白付出是為了得到.

Walter Mischel, my colleague at Stanford,

沃爾特.米舍爾,我斯丹福大學的同事,

went back 14 years later,

在十四年後

to try to discover what was different about those kids.

對這些孩子的不同進行追蹤調查.

There were enormous differences between kids who resisted

這差別可大了. 經得住抵抗的孩子

and kids who yielded, in many ways.

與妥協的孩子在很多方面都不同.

The kids who resisted scored 250 points higher on the SAT.

經受住誘惑的孩子SAT的成績平均要高出250分.

That's enormous. That's like a whole set of different IQ points.

這太可觀了. 差不多是一整套不同水平的智商測試.

They didn't get in as much trouble. They were better students.

這些學生不會去惹麻煩.他們都是好學生.

They were self-confident and determined. And the key for me today,

他們自信,堅強. 而對我的啟發

the key for you,

也是對你們大家的啟發是

is, they were future-focused rather than present-focused.

他們能夠將＂現實＂轉化為 "未來".

So what is time perspective? That's what I'm going to talk about today.

因此，如何看待時間呢？這就是我今天要講的話題.

Time perspective is the study of how individuals,

看待時間是研究個體，

all of us, divide the flow of your human experience

我們大家,將所有的人生經歷劃分為

into time zones or time categories.

不同的時間區域或時間類別.

And you do it automatically and non-consciously.

並且是在自動和無意識下做得.

They vary between cultures, between nations,

劃分方式的不同會從文化，國家，

between individuals, between social classes,

個人，社會階層，

between education levels.

教育水平等來決定.

And the problem is that they can become biased,

但問題是不同因素會產生偏見.

because you learn to over-use some of them and under-use the others.

因為你在某方面會使用過頭,而另方面卻沒有充分利用.

What determines any decision you make?

是什麼促使你做決定呢?

You make a decision on which you're going to base an action.

一旦做出決定,就要行動了.

For some people it's only about what is in the immediate situation,

某些人,只看到當時的情景,

what other people are doing and what you're feeling.

別人現在做的事,和自己現在的感受.

And those people, when they make their decisions in that format --

這些人做決定時,會按那樣的模式--

we're going to call them "present-oriented,"

我們稱這些人為"現實主義".

because their focus is what is now.

因為他們關注的是現在.

For others, the present is irrelevant.

對另一些人,現在並不重要.

It's always about "What is this situation like that I've experienced in the past?"

重要的是 "我在過去是否有過類似的經歷?"

So that their decisions are based on past memories.

因此他們的決定會依據過去的經驗.

And we're going to call those people "past-oriented," because they focus on what was.

我們稱這些人為 "懷舊主義". 因為他們關注的是過去.

For others it's not the past, it's not the present,

而對另一部分人,過去和現在都不重要.

it's only about the future.

重要的是將來.

Their focus is always about anticipated consequences.

他們專注於所期待的結果.

Cost-benefit analysis.

彷彿如成本效益分析.

We're going to call them "future-oriented." Their focus is on what will be.

我們稱他們為 "理想主義". 他們關注的是未來.

So, time paradox, I want to argue,

因此,時間悖論,這裡我要討論的是

the paradox of time perspective,

時間觀念上的悖論

is something that influences every decision you make,

是否會影響你做出的每一個決定,

you're totally unaware of.

而你渾然不知.

Namely, the extent to which you have one of these

那麼你其實已附有這樣的一個

biased time perspectives.

帶有偏見的時間悖論了.

Well there is actually six of them. There are two ways to be present-oriented.

實際上,時間悖論有六種解釋. 其中兩個屬於"現實主義".

There is two ways to be past-oriented, two ways to be future.

兩個屬於 "懷舊主義", 兩個屬於 "理想主義".

You can focus on past-positive, or past-negative.

你可以是"正面懷舊" 或 "負面懷舊".

You can be present-hedonistic,

也可以是"享受主義者".

namely you focus on the joys of life, or present-fatalist --

專注於享受生活,或自甘墮落成"宿命論者".

it doesn't matter, your life is controlled.

這並不重要.重要的是你要有所掌控.

You can be future-oriented, setting goals.

你可以是"理想主義",從而設定目標.

Or you can be transcendental future:

也可以是"先知覺者".

namely, life begins after death.

宣揚生命起始于安息之後.

Developing the mental flexibility to shift time perspectives fluidly

從發展思維的靈活性到透視時光的易變性

depending on the demands of the situation,

要根據局勢的變化

that's what you've got to learn to do.

這便是你要學的內容.

So, very quickly, what is the optimal time profile?

好了,咱們快速總結一下,什麼是理想的時光概念呢?

High on past-positive. Moderately high on future.

高度　＂正面懷舊＂，適度　＂理想主義＂

And moderate on present-hedonism.

節制　＂及時行樂".

And always low on past-negative

永遠放低　＂負面懷舊＂

and present-fatalism.

及　＂宿命論＂

So the optimal temporal mix is what you get from the past --

所以最佳時光透視是由過去開始的－

past-positive gives you roots. You connect your family, identity and your self.

過去積極的一面會給你動力。將你與家人，地位和身份聯繫在一起.

What you get from the future is wings

而將來卻是一付翅膀

to soar to new destinations, new challenges.

助你飛向新的方向，迎接新的挑戰.

What you get from the present hedonism

當然你也會從現實享樂主義

is the energy, the energy to explore yourself,

獲得能量，讓你開拓自己.

places, people, sensuality.

尋找合適的地點和人，及時行樂.

Any time perspective in excess has more negatives than positives.

任何過度的時光審視就會負面大於正面.

What do futures sacrifice for success?

成功要付出多少呢？

They sacrifice family time. They sacrifice friend time.

要犧牲家庭時間;犧牲朋友聚會;

They sacrifice fun time. They sacrifice personal indulgence.

犧牲快樂時光;犧牲個人嗜好;

They sacrifice hobbies. And they sacrifice sleep. So it affects their health.

犧牲業餘愛好;犧牲睡眠.從而也會影響身體健康.

And they live for work, achievement and control.

這些人生活中只有工作,成功,和控制慾.

I'm sure that resonates with some of the TEDsters.

相信一些TED的工作人員會有所共鳴吧.

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

And it resonated for me. I grew up as a poor kid in the South Bronx ghetto,

我也有所共鳴.我是一個窮小子,出生于南布朗克斯平民窟,

a Sicilian family -- everyone lived in the past and present.

西西里島的家庭.那裏的人只知道過去和現在.

I'm here as a future-oriented person

而我卻是一個朝前看的人

who went over the top, who did all these sacrifices

我之所以能成功,能在必要時做出犧牲

because teachers intervened, and made me future oriented.

皆拜賜于我的老師們,是他們使我成為一個有理想的人.

Told me don't eat that marshmallow,

是他們告訴我不要吃那顆棉花糖,

because if you wait you're going to get two of them,

因為只要等就可吃到兩顆了,

until I learned to balance out.

我就是這樣一路走來,學會了如何取捨的.

I've added present-hedonism, I've added a focus on the past-positive,

現在的我學會了"享樂主義",也會 "正面壞舊".

so, at 76 years old, I am more energetic than ever, more productive,

因此,我現在76嵗了,卻比從前更有精力,更有動力.

and I'm happier than I have ever been.

比從前更有樂趣.

I just want to say that we are applying this to many world problems:

我只想說該原理已用在解決世界很多問題上了,

changing the drop-out rates of school kids,

例如降低輟學率,

combating addictions, enhancing teen health,

打擊毒品,增強青少年健康,

curing vets' PTSD with time metaphors -- getting miracle cures --

用時間隱喻法治療戰後老兵的心理障礙-創造醫學奇蹟-

promoting sustainability and conservation,

促進可持續性發展和保護,

reducing physical rehabilitation where there is a 50-percent drop out rate,

減少身體康復費用,此項目有高達50%的退出率,

altering appeals to suicidal terrorists,

改變自殺式恐怖份子的念頭,

and modifying family conflicts as time-zone clashes.

修正家庭關係,就如修正時間區域衝突般.

So I want to end by saying:

好了,我要結束演講了,

many of life's puzzles can be solved

生活中許多解決不開的難題都會迎刃而解

by understanding your time perspective and that of others.

但必須理解自身和其他人的時間觀念.

And the idea is so simple, so obvious,

道理如此簡單,且顯而易見,

but I think the consequences are really profound.

可結果卻又那麼深遠.

Thank you so much.

謝謝大家.

(Applause)

(掌聲)